Gutsy Walk for Crohns and Colitis

Once again I will be walking for Crohns and Colitis Canada for their annual Gutsy Walk on June 6

"In the last 26 years, Gutsy Walk has raised over $46 million for research projects that have led to important findings in the understanding of inflammatory bowel disease. These findings help pave the way for researchers to build on the knowledge so that together we discover new treatments while uncovering the root of these painful diseases."

Please help me raise as much money as possible for more research!!

 Donate here

The cure is getting closer and you can be a part of it.

Possible Crohn's Disease Trigger Found..!!??

 Came across this article from McMaster University.

McMaster University: Crohn's Research

Hopefully, this leads to better treatments and maybe the cure. 

I've always wondered what triggered my Crohn's as I was healthy and athletic. Everyone I've talked to has all had different experiences, but all of us have the same question, "how the hell did I get it?" Maybe this is the beginning of the end.

Fingers crossed!

Thanks to Everyone !!

 Thank you to everyone who visited my Redbubble account this past month, there were 99 visits, and especially to those who purchased items.

As promised, 100% of my profits went to Crohn's and Colitis Canada in the form of a donation through my Gutsy Walk campaign. 

The Walk is on June 6, 2021, and this will be my third year walking and my first as an ostomate. At least I won't have to worry about rushing back to go to the washroom LOL.

Please come and participate on June 6 (virtually) and/or donate to the cause either through my campaign or someone else local to you.

My Gutsy Walk page

Thank you !!!!

Art For IBD

Exciting announcement !! 

For the month of March, 100% of my profits from sales at my Redbubble account, will go to Crohn's and Colitis Canada in the fight for a cure.

You can find a wide variety of products with my artwork here:

artistslaine.redbubble.com

Here are a few examples:

Jigsaw puzzle from my Intergalactic Cloud 2 collection

Skirts from my Flowers collection

Leggings from my Fire and Ice collection

...... and so much more !! There are dozens and dozens of products

Just remember, 100% of my profits from sales, go towards finding a cure for IBD.

Help fight the fight, and thanks in advance.

~Vern

"But, You Don't Look Sick"

I know I've talked about this before.  How people who either don't have a chronic illness, like Crohn's, know someone with a chronic illness or are a little ignorant, just don't understand. This covers a wide variety of people from friends, co-workers, employers, and even doctors.

When I was in the beginning stages of the disease, I went to several doctors trying to figure out what was going on. Pain, diarrhea, pain, blood, pain, weight loss, oh yes, and pain. I agree could be a variety of issues, but it was focused on my gut. Having said that, there was at least one doctor who even after looking at test results, questioned that it might be all in my head.

Friends, or who I thought were friends at the time, some co-workers and even some employers use to say, "but you were fine yesterday" or "you don't LOOK sick".  Not knowing or understanding, but assuming or insinuating that I was faking being sick. The fact that I was actually faking being well never dawned on them. 

So to all those doubters for the past 33 years that I have been diagnosed and battling this "fake" disease, here is a picture of the 5 full binders of my health records. 

Yes, that is 3, 3-inch, and 2, 2-inch binders. 

Come by and read all about my fake illness, including surgical notes and some pictures. 

I'll put the coffee on.

 

Artwork for Sale

Come take a look at some of my artwork transferred onto a large variety of products, from mugs and cups to skirts and shirts !! 

Artistslaine at Redbubble

Gutsy Walk 2021

 It's been a long and hard 6 months struggling with my disease.

Multiple surgeries, kidney problems, and ostomy issues, but I'm alive and getting through it...slowly. But even with all that I'm dealing with physically and mentally, there are still many others who have IBD worse than me. I'm "lucky" to be considered a mild case.

It might be too late for me when it comes to a cure for crohn's or colitis, but we can still raise some money to help find that cure. 

So again I'm participating in the Crohn's and Colitis Canada's Gutsy Walk, June 6, 2021 as part of Fraser Valley West.

Please click the link below to support my walk and help find the cure and raise awareness for IBD.

Vern's Gutsy Walk Donation page

Please help me find a cure and end the stigma.

~~Vern

Slow and Steady......

 There's that saying, "slow and steady wins the race", which may be true, but it is so frustrating.

So, for me, it's more than frustrating. I had my first surgery mid September for temporary ostomy which failed and caused further problems with my kidneys from the watery output. My GFR was down to 5 (normal LOW is 60) and was going into kidney failure. That ended me back into hospital for almost a month for my kidneys, making my ostomy permanent and a proctectomy (removing rectum and anus).

The slow part of my recovery after all of "this", is the proctectomy. It's taking way too long for my liking simply because of its location. Don't get me wrong, it's healing, just slow. On top of it all, I need to monitor my kidneys still and make sure I take in a lot of water every day. I get bloodwork every week to make sure, but they are still not up to 60. I drink a minimum of 4 liters of water everyday, but if I have watery output through my stoma (who I have nicknamed "Squirt"), I have to drink more to compensate.

It's coming along, slow and steady.

I am taking this "new year, new you" thing seriously this year. 

I definitely am new.

A Different Kind of Christmas

 2020 has made Christmas different this year, for me and for everyone. 

Personally, 2020 will be remembered for my health. Not that it was bad, but a lot happened as far as trying to "fix" me. My colonoscopy results caused my GI to contact my surgeon to take a look. I needed to have another one months later and she was concerned enough to schedule surgery and finally give me the ostomy I was trying to avoid for my 32 years of Crohns. I was given a temporary ileostomy in September as well as peri anal abscess's removed in preparation for a permanent ostomy with proctectomy. That surgery was done in November after complications from the first surgery. I was in hospital for the month of November and am slowly recovering at home.

Christmas this year was different, but in a good way. For the first time in 32 years, I was able to actually enjoy Christmas dinner. I had a proper meal this year, I tried everything. I didn't have to pick through it. And you know what? I had no pain or discomfort. None.  I have not had that feeling since I was 19 years old, Christmas of 1987. I'm 52 now. There were even years I just plain missed Christmas all together.

So with all the bad things happening in 2020, I will remember it for what I COULD do and not what I couldn't. My surgeon, Dr. Elena Vikis, a colorectal surgeon, was fantastic and a miracle worker. It took 6 hours, but she was able to separate what was left of my small bowel and lengthen it, giving me more to attach to the ostomy. Millimeter by millimeter, she separated it from the mass of bowel and scar tissue. I could eat my food again with no pain. I'm not afraid to eat anymore. Having an ostomy, named "Squirt", gave me my life back and yes, I think to myself, "why didn't I do this sooner?" I cant thank my surgeon and her team enough. It's still a long road to fully recover (the Barbie butt is taking longer than I expected), but I'm on the right road.

Squirt gave me my life back.

Twas the Night Before a Crohnie Christmas

 Every year for the past 15 years, I read "Twas the night before Christmas" to my kids on Christmas eve before they go to bed....

Here's the Crohn's Disease version 

***warning: language***


‘Twas the night before a Crohnie Christmas, quiet as a mouse
Trying to get to the bathroom without disturbing the spouse.
The TP was hung by the toilet with care,
In hopes that I don’t run out whilst I sat there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
I hope I’m not too loud lest I wake their sleepy heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
But I had to get up, I needed to crap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my throne to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Still pulling up my underwear to cover my ass.

I live on the coast so there wasn’t any snow
Just dreary wet grass that I can see below.
When, what to my very tired eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

A decrepit old driver, not lively or quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
He didn’t look well, he must be inflamed,
But he whistled, and shouted, and called his reindeer by name!

"Now Crohns! Now, Colitis! Now, Pain and Grouch!
On, Abscess! On, Fistula! On, Ostomy and J-Pouch!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

And then, in an instant, I heard on the roof,
The scratching and farting of that big, silly oaf.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his toe,
He looked very fatigued, he moved really slow.
A bundle of toys he had flung on my chair,
He looked in pain, it must be a flare.

His eyes, how they squinted! His face quite scary!
He let out a fart, not pleasant or airey!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
I was getting prepared, he was gonna let another one go.

The bags under his eyes, I saw his fatigue
That comes from living with this dam Crohn's Disease.
He had a broad face, (must be the Prednisone),
If he didn’t hurry, he would soon need the throne.

He was chubby and plump, a right smelly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
The moon face, mood swings and twitch of the head,
Soon gave me to know it was for sure the Pred.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to the bathroom,
And filled my toilet with a splat! and a KABOOM!
And laying his fingers, covering his nose,
Giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, he now weighed so much less,
He thanked me and apologized for the big mess.
But when I heard him exclaim, I realized he knew my plight,
“I have Crohn’s Disease too, it’s going to be one HELL of a night!!”

Merry Christmas everyone, hopefully it is disease-free. At least for one day.

All the best for a happy and healthy 2021 !!!

-Vern